26 San Antonio-area high school basketball stars to watch for in the 2017-18 season

26 San Antonio-area high school basketball stars to watch for in the 2017-18 season

Photo: Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

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Destiny Jenkins - Junior guard, Stevens

A fearless shooter, Jenkins made 97 3-pointers and averaged 21.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 5.1 steals last season. Jenkins earned a spot on the Express-News All-Area Super Team last season. She was named the E-N’s Newcomer of the Year two seasons ago.

The 6-foot-4 McCullar transferred from Brennan after his freshman year and made an immediate impact at Wagner, helping the team finish as the Class 6A runner-up while earning all-state tournament honors. He has since become a prized recruit, holding reported offers from schools such as Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, and has the versatility to play the point and wing or post up.

Caldwell returns to the San Antonio area after playing two seasons at Wollforth Frenship while her father Ray Caldwell served as an assistant coach with Texas Tech’s women’s basketball team. Caldwell, who is committed to Southern Cal, played at Johnson as a freshman when she was named the Express-News Newcomer of the Year after averaging 12.6 points, 2.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals.

Arguably the most talented player in the San Antonio area, Liddell hopes to help the Knights unseat Wagner in District 27-6A and reach the state tournament for the second time in three years. The 6-foot-8 University of Texas commitment is a powerful presence in the post, having averaged 20.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as a junior, and also can knock down shots from the perimeter.

The area’s top college basketball recruit looks for a strong finish to her high school career after averaging 23.0 points, 18.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks last season. Smith, a 6-3 forward, is not only a force inside, but she has good shooting range and will bring the ball up the court when needed. Smith is ESPN’s No. 8 national recruit for the 2018 class. Smith should receive strong consideration for McDonald’s All-American honors. Smith earned a spot on the Express-News Super Team last season.

Velten, who stands 6-0, joined the Volunteers at mid-season last year and offered a strong inside presence they had lacked before. Velten and 6-3 Mica Crawford became eligible to play at LEE midway through last season after transferring from Churchill. Velten proved to be a perfect complement to guards Jenesis Navarro and Blanca De Leon. Velten finished with a 12.2-point average. Lee was 9-12 before Velten’s arrival and 8-3 after.

Ghavidel is one of the area’s top 3-point shooters. She knocked in 114 last season and averaged 24.3 points. Ghavidel, who is committed to Colgate, was the Express-News Class 5A MVP last season. She was also named District 26-5A’s Offensive MVP in 2016-17.

Sanders played beyond his age as a sophomore, averaging team highs of 16.6 points and 2.7 assists per game to help the Bears reach the playoffs and earn Express-News Newcomer of the Year honors. He was especially good in crunch time, making two game-winning shots in District 28-6A play, and figures to be even better this season.

A dominant post player on both ends of the floor, the 6-foot-8 Green helped lead the Chargers to the District 26-5A championship and the third round of the playoffs last season. The Express-News All-Area selection in Class 5A hopes for more of the same this season while increasing his recruiting profile. Green holds a reported offer from Tulane.

Ramos averaged 16.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.9 steals last season. Ramos, who is committed to San Diego State, has been named the Express-News Private School MVP the last three seasons. She is also a three-time member of the TAPPS All-State first team.

Holmes fit in nicely with a talented Steele team last season as she averaged 11.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals. After the Knights graduated several key players, Holmes’ role will likely increase this season. She was named District 27-6A’s Newcomer of the Year in 2016-17.

Although just halfway through his high school career, the lightning-quick Jackson already is a proven playmaker and arguably the San Antonio area’s most complete point guard. He earned Express-News All-Area Super Team honors after helping the Thunderbirds reach the Class 6A state final as a sophomore, when he averaged 10.2 points, 3.4 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game.

Gwin averaged 17.4 points and helped lead Lions to their first TAPPS state-tournament appearance since 2007 a season ago. The Lions will count on Gwin to lead them there again. Gwin has been named to the Express-News Private School All-Area team the last two seasons.

Jayden Martinez - Senior forward, SteeleThough not as highly regarded as teammate Gerald Liddell, the 6-foot-7 Martinez is nearly as big and was nearly as productive as a junior last year. The University of New Hampshire commitment averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game for the Knights, helping them finish a close second to state-finalist Wagner in District 27-6A. Expect Martinez to do even more this season.

Jayden Martinez - Senior forward, SteeleThough not as highly regarded as teammate Gerald Liddell, the 6-foot-7 Martinez is nearly as big and was nearly as productive as a junior last year. The University of New

The 2016-17 season was somewhat of a down one for the Mules, who placed third in District 26-5A after winning back-to-back district championships. The 6-foot-5 Carcanagues emerged as their most productive player, though, and gave them a reason to feel good about 2017-18. He led Alamo Heights last season with 15.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the field.

Kelly, who committed to Texas when she was in seventh grade, was the Express-News Newcomer of the Year last season after she averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.4 steals. Kelly is listed as ESPN’s No. 17 recruit for the 2020 class. Kelly also received an invitation last summer to try out for the United States Under 16 national team.

Hastings made an immediate impact with the Thunderbirds last season after playing two years at Gervin Academy, where she was named the Express-News Class 2A/1A All-Area MVP in 2015-16. Hastings averaged 14.8 points, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals and was named to the Express-News All-Area Class 6A team last season.

Coleman plays point guard and is an effective distributor for the Falcons, having averaged 2.6 assists per game last season, but scoring is his forte. The 5-foot-10 slasher also poured in an average of 23.6 points, the most on Stevens’ team, and is equally adept finishing at the rim, making mid-range jumpers and draining shots from beyond the 3-point arc.

Hemphill is one of the area’s emerging players. Hemphill, who stands 6-0, led the Panthers last season by averaging 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds. She was named to the District 28-6A first team a season ago.

The 5-foot-11 point guard led a resurgence last season for Cornerstone, which overcame a slow start and several personnel changes to advance to the TAPPS 5A state semifinals. Bradley, a starter since he was a freshman, was the Warriors’ rock throughout. He averaged a team-high 23.6 points per game and could take on an even bigger scoring load this season.

Senior
Lewis stands 5-8, but that hasn’t prevented her from being a strong inside player for the Rockets. Her energy and tenacity helped fuel Judson’s run to the UIL state tournament last season. Lewis averaged a team-best 12.8 points last season and earned a spot on the Express-News All-Area Class 6A team.

A series of close losses to the top teams in District 26-6A kept the Brahmas from reaching the playoffs last year. This year, the 6-foot-3 Henderson hopes to push them over the hump and into the league’s upper echelon. He averaged a team-leading 14.4 points per game last season and is poised to be even more productive as a senior.

White helped Judson advance to the UIL state tournament for the first time in program history after averaging 11.5 points, 2.6 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 season. White is ESPN’s No. 50 recruit for the 2019 class. The Rockets will depend on White’s leadership as they try for back-to-back state-tournament appearances.

One of a few key returning players from the Rams, Frye held his own as a sophomore last season and has the potential to be one of the best in the area this year. He has good size for a guard at 6-foot-1 and can perform near the basket as well, giving Marshall a versatile weapon offensively and defensively. Frye has garnered interest from some college programs.

The Mavericks return their top four scorers from a playoff team a year ago, highlighted by Nwosu. The 6-foot-6 post player averaged a team-high 14.7 points per game last season and figures to be one of the best post presences in District 26-6A this season. With Nwosu’s scoring, rebounding and defending, Madison could be a threat to win the league title.

Brendan Wenzel (with ball) - Junior guard, O’Connor Wenzel showed promise as a sophomore last season, averaging 7.8 points per game while shooting better than 90 percent from the free-throw line. He could be ready for a breakout campaign in 2017-18 as the Panthers’ leading returning scorer. The 6-foot-2 Wenzel started garnering some recruiting interest during the offseason.

Brendan Wenzel (with ball) - Junior guard, O’Connor
Wenzel showed promise as a sophomore last season, averaging 7.8 points per game while shooting better than 90 percent from the free-throw line. He could be

Andrew Brewer and Bryan Penna have been crossing paths on the court since they were teenagers.

Brewer played for Alamo Heights through 1994, a year before Penna finished his standout career at Holmes. They faced each other in the South San tournament during the 1993-94 season, with Penna helping the Huskies win.

Brewer returned the favor 18 years later when, as the first-year head coach for the Mules, he beat a Penna-led Somerset team 78-39. The teams also played each other earlier this season, with Alamo Heights winning 58-43 en route to capturing the title at the Bulldogs’ tournament.

The two men will share the grandest stage in Texas high school basketball late this week at the Alamodome, where Class 5A Alamo Heights and Class 4A Somerset will compete in the UIL state tournament. This time, instead of competing against each other, Brewer and Penna will be rooting for each other.

“Most definitely,” said Penna, who texted Brewer on Saturday after both won their regional tournaments. “I said, ‘I’ll see you at Alamodome.’ He goes, ‘Hell yeah, I’ll see you there.’”

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When Alamo Heights and Somerset faced each other Dec. 16, neither coach said he envisioned the teams eventually reaching the state tournament. But the Mules and Bulldogs continued to improve, with each winning district championships, and both scored upsets in their regional tournaments.

Somerset, ranked 22nd in 4A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, knocked off No. 3 Brazosport in the regional semifinals before topping No. 15 Corpus Christi West Oso in Saturday’s regional final.

Alamo Heights, ranked 23rd in 5A, routed No. 16 Laredo Nixon in its regional championship game to qualify for the state tournament for the first time since Brewer’s first season as head coach in 2011-12.

“It feels awesome,” said Alamo Heights guard Brandon Johnson, one of the team’s nine seniors. “We’ve been dreaming about it since we were little.”

The Mules (32-6), who last won a state championship in 1954, will face second-ranked Justin Northwest (33-5) in a 5A semifinal scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Alamodome. The winner faces No. 4 Port Arthur Memorial (32-5) or No. 9 Midlothian (28-10) in Saturday’s 3 p.m. championship game.

Somerset (28-9), a first-time state qualifier, takes on top-ranked Silsbee (28-8) in a 4A semifinal at 3 p.m. Friday at the dome. If the Bulldogs beat the defending state champion, they will face No. 5 Dallas Carter (32-5) or No. 10 Seminole (27-8) in Saturday’s 7 p.m. final.

Penna said the Somerset community is “all kinds of fired up” about the Bulldogs’ opportunity to win their first state championship. Somerset ISD already has decided to let school out early Friday so students, teachers and staff can attend the afternoon semifinal.